Easy project requires no batting

By Suzanne Sievers

This easy table runner really can be made in just 10 minutes. You will need a third of a yard of your center focus fabric and a half yard of coordinating fabric — 100 percent cotton quilting fabric works well, but other fabrics could also be used. Both fabrics should be non-directional. This table runner is made without batting, It’s so fast and easy, you will want to make one or more for each season.

Leave the selvedges on the fabric. Place the two fabrics, right sides together so the long, raw edges of the two fabrics are even. Don’t worry if the ends don’t match as they will be trimmed later. There will be extra fabric in the center because one piece is wider than the other. Sew each long side with a quarter-inch seam, forming a tube.

Turn fabrics right side out. Adjust tube so the focus fabric is centered as shown in the illustration. There will be approximately 1½ inches of “border” on each side. Press. Trim the two short ends, squaring up fabric and removing the selvedge. figure 1

Fold in half lengthwise so focus fabric is facing out. Sew a quarter-inch seam across each end, backstitching at each end of the seam.(figure 2) Press seam open. Turn this seam inside out so a triangle of the coordinating fabric will form on the front. (figure 3)

If desired, topstitch the wide ends of the triangles in place. You can also embellish by adding buttons or crystals. Finished size is 14 ½”x 42.”

5 Comments

The fabric for the ten minute table runner is cut from selvedge to selvedge making the length of each piece approximately 42 inches. If you wish to make a longer table runner, you can cut lengthwise pieces. You could cut the larger piece 18 inches by the length of your table (6 ft.) and the center piece 12 inches by the length of your table (6 ft.). The table runner would be approximately 68 inches long when finished. Note that you would need 2 yards of each fabric if you used these measurements. The beauty of the original pattern is that it only takes 1/2 yd. and 1/3 yd. of the two fabrics making it a fast and economical project .

If you are using a striped fabric for the backing and the stripes run selvedge to selvedge on the bolt, you can change the direction of the stripes by using a 45″ x 20″ cut instead of the 1/2 yard for the backing called for in the original pattern.
I have made these into wall hangings too, by using the 1/3 yard/feature fabric instead as a background for applique (machine or hand) and then in the finishing of the ends, I sew one end (the bottom) into the triangle as instructed; the other end (the top) I fold back 1/2″, press, then fold back another 2″ and sew across the width of the runner to create the hanging sleeve.

I am a wanna be quilter….I have never tried anything quilty before. I was at the local quilt show. there were runners on display. I asked a guild official if she knew where I could buy the pattern. she told me to go online….then she continued to tell me how easy it was, and assured me I could do it. she threw out…you have material at home.. I said yes.. she said make one tonight and bring it back in and show me tomorrow. I laughed at her. today I took it in to show her….i had done it!!!!!!!!!!!! I would never have done that without her little ‘dare’. thank you Cathy….I love my results!!!!!